Women's Basketball signs #1 Florida player

[Guest HowieP1]

It looks like the move to the Big East is starting to pay off in recruiting:

USF Women’s Basketball Inks Two Backcourt Standouts During Early Signing Period  

Tampa, FL (Nov. 10, 2004) – USF head women’s basketball coach Jose Fernandez announced that the Bulls have signed two players during the November early signing period. Guards Shantia Grace (Sarasota, FL/Riverview HS) and Jessica Jackson (Roswell, GA/Roswell HS) signed and returned their National Letters of Intent today, the first day of the weeklong period.

Grace comes into her senior year ranked as the 14th best guard in the nation by the All Star Girls Report and the 66th best player in America. She is also ranked, by FloridaHoops.com, as the best player in the State of Florida this year entering the 2004-05 season.

The Riverview High School product is a two-time Street & Smith Magazine Honorable Mention All-American earning the honor prior to her junior and senior year’s. She was also named to the adidas Top Ten Camp Underclass All-Star Team in 2003.

As a junior the 5-8 Grace averaged 21 points per game. She chose USF over Kansas, Florida, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.

“Shantia is a prolific scored from Sarasota Riverview High School and is a kid that we have been recruiting since I got to USF,†said Fernandez. “Shantia will add a major scoring threat for us immediately in the perimeter.â€Â

Jackson enters her senior campaign fifth on Roswell’s all-time career scoring list with 933 points and is ranked as one of the top 250 players in the country by All Star Girls Report.

As a junior, the 5-6 guard averaged 13 points, five assists, 3.5 assists, and three steals per outing. During that season she set the school record for most three-point field goals made in a game with eight against North Gwinnett High School.

“Jessica has had a great career in high school and playing on the AAU circuit,†Fernandez said. “I’ve been recruiting her since she was a freshman in high school and I know what she can do. I think she can be a very, very good guard in the BIG EAST.â€Â

“I’m just really excited about both young ladies,†said Fernandez. “They definitely have the ability to help us immediately and to compete right away in the BIG EAST.â€Â

USF kicks off the regular season on Friday in the first round of the Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament at Middle Tennessee State. Last year the Lady Raiders defeated North Carolina (67-62) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Notre Dame (59-46) in the second round.

All USF games can be heard live on www.GoUSFBulls.com with Amanda Miller handling the play-by-play.

The Bulls will start play in the BIG EAST Conference, which has been one of the premier women’s basketball conferences in America, at the beginning of the 2005-06 academic year. The BIG EAST has won five of the last six national championships and six in the last 10 seasons. Connecticut – in addition to this year’s championship – also took the title in 1995, 2000, 2002, and 2003, and Notre Dame took the 2001 championship. In addition, Rutgers also advanced to the Women's Final Four in 2000.

For USF women’s basketball ticket information please call 1-800-GoBulls.

[beastiebull]

Can our women's team play our men's schedule?

[smazza]

great

[lotsofbull99]

does she wear a Burka?

[BullWriter]

This is a nice pickup!  Things are looking good on the ladies side.

[Zonald]

How do we do it?

[bulls96go]

good news

[Papa_Bull]

I started this thread on the main board, but the moderators might want to move it to the recruiting board if they think it belongs there.

I Just wanted to update:

Riverview ousts P.B. Lakes

By Jody Royce

Special Correspondent

Posted February 27 2005

Sarasota · Ashley Gabbert had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead Sarasota Riverview past Palm Beach Lakes 78-67 Saturday night in a Class 6A regional final.

Riverview (24-4) last went to the state semifinals in 1992. That team went unbeaten before losing in overtime to Orlando Dr. Phillips.

Riverview will face two-time defending 6A champion Deerfield Beach (25-3), which beat Miami Norland 56-45 to win the Region 3 crown.

In the first half, Lakes (22-7) had problems trying to contain Gabbert. The 5-foot-11 senior got behind the Lakes defenders and had 13 of her 20 first-half points in the first eight minutes as Riverview built a 23-12 lead.

"That was the first time our youth showed," said sixth-year Lakes coach Cassandra Rahming. "But our girls kept fighting. We had 10 new players."

Shantia Grace, who has signed with the University of South Florida, added 17 points and five steals. Paige Cooper had 12 of her 14 points in the second half to end any comeback hopes Lakes had.

The first half was played at a frenzied pace, with both teams going end-to-end and forcing several turnovers. Riverview got the better of the shooting, making 18 of 35 shots (51.4 percent) to 16 of 38 (42.1 percent) for Lakes.

Lakes committed 33 turnovers, 18 in the second half.

Riverview went on a 15-2 run in the first period, with four baskets coming off Lakes miscues.

"They scored a lot off our turnovers," Rahming said. "When our shots didn't fall, they got the momentum. They have a great team and deserve all the credit."

Gabbert ignited the surge with a putback after Grace missed a 3-pointer. Grace set up Gabbert for a layup to cap the run with 15 seconds left.

Floreisha Allen led Lakes with 14 points. Tameka McKelton and Brittany Jones added 13 each and Sharisma Williamson 10.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/highschool/sfl-p6ahoops27feb27,0,1660578.story?coll=sfla-highschool-headlines

 

[S p e n c e]

Great news, hopefully the men finish strong and continue to improve.  With us moving to the Big East if we can have a competative men's team maybe we can finally start landing some of those 2 sport stand-outs (Ingram, McPherson) that have been passing us over.

[beastiebull]

Why does the women's team continue to pick up great recruits for basketball?  I thought USF couldn't pick up good basketball recruits because we have no "history".  Well, the women's team has far less history than the men's team....just another testament to RMC's deficient recruiting.